By the early 1600s, England was eager to gain a colonial foothold on the North American continent. The first enduring settlement was founded at Jamestown in Virginia in 1607. Colonies in Massachusetts and elsewhere up and down the eastern seaboard were settled as the century progressed. The English settlers had occasionally friendly relations with the native "Indians" of these lands, but for the most part, the interaction between the two turned hostile. Labor to clear the forests, tend the plantations and farms, and work in the developing seafaring industry became a crucial concern.

From 1619 on, not long after the first settlement, the need for colonial labor was bolstered by the importation of African captives. At first, like their poor English counterparts, the Africans were treated as indentured servants, who would be freed of their obligations to their owners after serving for several years. However, over the course of the century, a new race-based slavery system developed, and by the dawn of the new century, the majority of Africans and African Americans were slaves for life.

Control over the captive population became a significant issue for whites as rebellion and fear of rebellion spread.